Feds: More than 88K pick health plans in Illinois

Published: Thursday, Feb. 13, 2014 1:15 a.m. CST

CHICAGO (AP) — More than 88,000 Illinois residents signed up for private health insurance during the first four months of the nation's new insurance marketplace system. That's just about what federal officials had projected for the state's enrollment by this point in the health law's rollout.

A federal report released Wednesday said 88,602 Illinois residents selected plans through the new marketplace from Oct. 1 through Feb. 1. That number nearly matches the Obama administration's original goal of 88,660 Illinoisans by the end of January.

A statewide marketing campaign is underway to boost the numbers even higher. Technical problems with the HealthCare.gov website during the first three months kept many people from signing up.

The administration had set a goal of signing up 7 million people nationwide by March 31.